There are numerous examples that can be cited to explain how items are loaded e.g. on flatbed trailers, rail cars, boat decks and the like. All have a common problem that will be here addressed as that problem relates to the loading and hauling of logs by a logging truck. Such is but one example and those skilled in the art will understand that the invention is equally applicable to many other load hauling uses.
Different sizes of logs, e.g., 10–20 inches in diameter and 20–30 feet in length, are commonly hauled from a forest site to a logging mill. The truck traverses rough roads and many curves that produce conditions where the logs can roll off of the truck bed. Each log is very heavy and inadvertent rolling of the log off the load can produce disastrous results and is to be avoided.
It has long been common to secure the load with chains that are wrapped around the entire load of logs. A binder has opposing ends with hooks that are hooked into two spaced apart chain links of the chain. The binder includes a means to draw the hooked links together to tighten the chain and a latch mechanism secures the chain in the tightened condition.
An early version of such a binder is referred to as a lever binder. The lever binder uses an over-center mechanism to draw the chain links together a stated length, e.g., 3 inches. The lever is pivoted using brute force to force the lever to an over-center position and in the process draw the chain ends together by the stated 3 inch margin. No incremental adjustments are available. Should the load shift to cause loosening of the chain, the binder lever has to be released, the hook ends reset, and the lever action repeated. Not only is the tightening effect limited, the substantial energy stored by such over-center tightening can cause kickback that can result in serious injury or even death to the user of the device.
The above lever binder has, more recently, been largely replaced by a ratchet binder. A center tube has left and right hand threads at the tube ends and a threaded shaft moves into and out of each end of the tube. The shafts are fitted with hooks that hook onto the respective chain ends and are prevented from turning. Turning of the tube is achieved by a ratchet mechanism (pawl and ratchet gear) operated with a handle. The handle is worked back and forth to turn the tube relative to the shafts which draws the shafts into the tube and thereby achieves tightening of the chain. The ratchet mechanism can be reversed to extend the shafts from the tube for loosening of the chain binder, again by working the handle back and forth.
The ratchet binder is safer as it does not produce kickback. Also it can be incrementally adjusted to any length within the differential of the shafts being fully extended and fully retracted from the tube ends, e.g., an 8 inch length of draw. It has, however, two primary drawbacks which are speed of operation (or lack thereof) and awkward storage. The handle protrudes from the tube at a right angle and requires storage in a storage space that is the length of the tube and the width of the tube plus handle length.